Patent GB-600772-A (GB)
Title: Building structure
IPC: E04C2/08
Filed: 1945-05-17
Abstract: 600,772. Structural sheet-meta] units. DETROIT STEEL PRODUCTS CO. May 17, 1945, No. 12483. Convention date, June 7, 1944. [Class 20(ii)] Relates to metallic building structures, and comprises the prefabrication of hollow units from sheet metal. A unit comprises two sheet metal elements 2, each of which has a body portion 3 and a transverse flange 4, Fig. 1. The flange 4 is bent to form the outwardly projecting channel 5 and the outwardly projecting flange 6, the flange 6 and the tapering wall 5<2> forming two sides of a groove. The other wall of the channel joins with the portion 7 to form a rabbet. Each body portion 3 has its edge remote from its transverse flange 4 returnbent at 9 to enclose the outward flange 6 of the other element, layers of asphalt 10 being interposed at the joint for insulation. The channels and grooves in the opposite walls of a unit formed by the flanges 4 are offset relative to each other transversely of the unit, and so'proportioned that when units are assembled side by side, as shown in Fig. 2, the outer faces of their body portions are in flush relation. To form an outside wall of a building the units are superposed horizontally one upon the other, as shown in Fig. 3, or arranged vertically, as in Fig. 19. In both cases the units rest upon the sill angle 11, or 49, and are secured by upwardly opening channel clips 12, or 50, layers of insulating material being provided where desirable. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 19 the units are welded at the inside of the wall to the structural members 52 and 53. In the arrangement shown in Fig. 3 the units are welded to the structural column 19, as shown in Fig. 7, which is a cross-section on the line 7-7 of Fig. 3. The upper portion of the wall formed by the units which extends above the roofing 14 is preferably reinforced by means of the vertical braces 15 and 16. The brace 15 is welded to the body portions and rests on the column 19, and the brace 16 extends downwards, between the units, below the uppermost unit and is welded to the column 19. The upper sides of the topmost horizontal units are covered by the flashing 20. The ends of the units may be provided with the plugs 28, Fig. 7, which are recessed at their edges so that they co-operate to form pockets for sealing material 29. Various other constructions for sealing the joints are described; e.g. in Fig: 13 the plug 32 is formed of sheet metal. Fig. 17 illustrates another manner of securing the units to a building column 19, comprising a channel-shaped sheet metal member 40 extending vertically between the ends of the horizontal units and welded to the column 19, and a cover plate 42 spanning the space between the units and secured thereto and to the member 40. The corner of a wall may be completed, as shown in Fig. 4, by a cover plate 21 welded or screwed to the ends of the units and a closure plate 23 secured to the outside flange of a structural column 19. The units may be horizontally arranged and supported on transverse beams to form a flooring. They may be reinforced by ribs formed in their body portions, which may be extended inwardly and be dovetailed for securing cement or the like. They may also be reinforced with spacers, preferably of insulation material. These reinforcing ribs also serve to vary the appearance of the units. If it is desired to provide the wall structure with its outside surface different from its inside surface the units may be formed of two sheet metal elements of different material.